The One Who Stood Out
by CosmicBender
Summary: Story of a young cosmicbender who goes through her childhood in the Fire Nation before the end of the 100 Year War! For some cosmicbender info, see my profile. But I warn you, it does have spoiler alerts for what happens in the future! Plz review! Read this story and enjoy!
1. Prologue

**Hi, guys! This is my first story, so please don't be too harsh, although I am always welcome to reviews and comments! Just an advanced announcement, if you are confused or whatever, there is some background knowledge on my profile, but, I warn you, it is a MAJOR spoiler alert! **

**So, enough of my blabbering, read this story and enjoy! **

**(It's set just before the end of the Hundred Year War, btw) Read on!**

**_PROLOGUE_**

_It was a dark, rainy night in the Fire Nation Capital. The thunder boomed and the lightning flashed above the dark, unlit houses beneath. The rain poured down harshly on the roofs and onto the stone ground. It was pitch black, the moon blocked out of sight by the storm clouds. _

_A tall, slim hooded figure holding a lantern ran through the storm, cradling a sleeping baby in her arm. She ran and ran, until she stopped outside a medium-sized house, which had a sign hanging from the porch roof, bashed back and forth by the howling wind. It read: 'AUNT ZIA'S ORPHANAGE' _

_The woman huffed for breath, having ran a very short distance, water dripped off her cloak. She wanted to take a rest, but she had no time. They were after her- she was not safe. She smiled sadly down at the sleeping baby, and leaned down to give it a gentle kiss on the forehead, "I love you, dearest. Stay safe" she whispered._

_The woman gently laid the sleeping baby down on the wooden porch, and tucked a little sheet of paper into the baby's blanket. _

_Men's yells could be heard in the distance. The woman gasped and snapped her head over her shoulder. They were coming. She couldn't let them find the child. She knocked on the door urgently, before fleeing the scene into the dark alleyways. She was gone. _

_Aunt Zia grumpily shoved the duvet aside and stood up. Who could be calling at such an hour!? It was in the middle of the night! Oh, well, it seemed urgent, so she better check. It might be one of the soldiers, asking for tax. She scowled as she made her way down the corridor. Tax. Such a disgusting way for the rich to get richer. As if they don't have enough already._

_She opened the front door, to be hit by a blast of wind. Looking around, she saw that nobody was there. Zia was about to shut the door again, but a small whimper coming from downwards stopped her. She looked down, and a gasp escaped her when she found a small baby lying there, wrapped in a small purple blanket. _

_"My goodness..." Zia bent down and picked the baby up, gently shushing her, "Poor child..." _

_She noticed a piece of paper sticking out from the blanket, she slipped it out and read it:_

_Dear reader, _

_I am desperate. Please take in my child and care for her, if not, she may not survive. Her name is Cela, and she is the light of my life. Nothing has pained me more than giving her up, but I have no choice. _

_-Her mother_

_When the baby opened her eyes, Zia gasped at their color. She had never seen ANYBODY with those magical, glimmering lilac purple eyes before. _

_From then on, she knew that this child was special. Very special indeed. _


	2. Chapter 1

**So, this is my first chapter to the story! Hope you liked the prologue! By the way, Zia is pronounced Ziya. So, anyways, please read and review! I appreciate favs too! Enjoy the story! **

_**CHAPTER ONE**_

EIGHT YEARS LATER...

"Aunt Zia! Somebody stole my make-up set- again! I need it for the party tonight!" Zahara whined, stamping her foot on the ground.

Cela, who was sitting at the chair by the window, looked up from her book to see the commotion. Realising it was Zahara, she scowled and returned to her reading. Zahara was always so stuck-up and spoilt, not to mention a right snob, just because she was a fire-bending prodigy, good-looking, earned money prizes at school, and attention and gifts from boys. She seemed like she had everything- but she doesn't have the personality, that's for sure.

"I'm sure we can find it around here somewhere. Maybe you misplaced it..?" Zia suggested. Cela pitied Zia, sometimes the lady was just too nice, even to the nasty jerks.

"I bet _somebody_ knows where it is," Zia said sneeringly.

Cela realised that Zahara was glaring at her, she slammed down the book and said in outrage, "Me!? I don't know where your stupid make-up box is! I bet one of the others took it."

"Look at you- lying as usual to save your backside."

"I'm not lying. And I didn't tell your make-up set." Cela grit out, clenching her fists.

"Prove that you're not lying!"

"Prove that I didn't take your make-up!"

"Alright, alright, that's enough, girls!" Zia stepped inbetween us, she turned her head towards Zahara, "Why don't you go look for your make-up set, Zahara? I need to talk to Cela."

"Fine," Zahara stormed out of the room.

Cela huffed and returned to her seat, hugging her knees to her chest. She hated this place. Everybody was so mean to her, bullying her because she had a weird eye color, and calling her a freak. The only nice person here was Zia. She whispered, "Why does everybody have to be so MEAN here? I didn't take her make-up set, I didn't. I promise, Aunt Zia."

"Of course you didn't take her make-up set, dear," Zia placed a hand on Cela's shoulder, "I know you. You wouldn't steal a thing off anybody."

Cela gave Zia a weak smile, "Thanks."

"I got your report card from school today,"

Cela groaned, and buried her head between her knees. She always got really bad scores in schools. And that was something Zahara would mock her for.

"And I'm pleased! You got great results! All top grades- well done!"

Cela's head snapped up and her eyes widened in surprise, "Wait, what?"

Zia gave a small laugh, "Top grades, Cela. You got top grades."

"How did I get that!? Did they mix up the reports or something?"

Zia laughed again, "No, dear. These are your results. And you know what that means..."

Zia reached into her pocket, and pulled out a red, golden-lined ticket, and placed it on the table in front of Cela. It was a ticket to the party Zahara was going to tonight, along with some other top students. It was massive ball held in the Fire Nation palace, where nobles and the Royal Family would be attending. The ball was to celebrate the next generation of the Fire Nation. Or, more like to Cela, the Fire Nation's next army of murderers.

Oh, yes, Cela knew about the Hundred Year War. She always questioned it. Why would you destroy all that peace just for greed and money? Sozin was sugarcoating it- it wasn't to spread the Fire Nation's glory. It was to spread violence and hatred. She told this to her fellow students at school, but they didn't believe her, gave her weird looks and called her nuts. Nice.

"The party invitation..?" Cela whispered.

"Yes. I promised those who got good grades would get to go," Zia said, smiling, "That was why Zahara searched for her make-up."

"Um, yeah. I guess," Cela gave a careless shrug. To her, parties were just parties. She really couldn't be bothered with all the fancy dresses and make-up. The thought of all that make-up caked on her face made her cringe. She'd rather sit in her room and read and paint, or practice her hand-to-hand combat (she was learning that at school, and turned out to be pretty good at it) alone in the orphanage's training dojo.

"I know parties are not for your taste, Cela, but you should give it a go. After all, you earned it," Zia urged, "I'll be there. It won't just be you and the other kids."

Cela sighed, "Fine. But I'm NOT plastering all that yucky make-up on my face."

"Deal. Now, it's time for you to get ready, we're leaving for the party in an hour, and I need to help Zahara find her make-up set,"

Cela climbed up the stairs to her room and flung open her wardrobe, only to find it stark empty, except for a few folded clothes at the bottom. She blew the dust and cobwebs away as she searched for something to wear, when she came across a lovely red gown at the bottom in the farthest corner. She dusted it off and tried it on.

Ok, she admits, it looks really nice on her. It was a light pink and had gold-trimmed sleeves and a red sash, with a gold trimmed collar to top it all off. Cela pulled half of her hair back into a topknot, leaving the rest loose.

Soon, there was a knock on the door, and a moment later, Zia called out, "Can I come in?"

"Yes, Aunt Zia," Cela called out.

Zia stepped into the room, and gasped when she saw Cela, "You look wonderful, dear. Like a little princess."

Cela stuck out her tongue, "I don't want to be royalty. I want to be free without all those prissy nobles and stuffy robes."

"Why not? Gold looks good on you. Perhaps I can sign you up with Prince Zuko..."

Cela felt herself go red. She had never even seen him! "Perhaps not"

Zia rolled her eyes, "The carriage is ready, it's waiting outside. Let's go"


End file.
